Some of our readers may
wonder why we have given to the present chapter such a title, and what
bearing it has upon the contents of 1 Samuel 26; if so, we would ask them to
thoughtfully ponder the closing verses of the preceding chapter. Much is
lost by many readers of the Bible through failing to observe the connection
between the ending of one chapter and the beginning of another; even when
incidents which are totally distinct and different follow each other, a
spiritual eye may often discern an intimate moral relation between them, and
therein many valuable lessons may be learned. Such is the case here. At
first glance there appears to be no logical link uniting the further
uncalled-for attack of Saul upon David, and his having taken unto himself a
wife a little before; but the two things are related as is effect to
cause, and here is to be found the key which opens to us the Divine
significance of what is now to be before us.

"The way of
transgressors is hard" (Prov. 13:15). No doubt the primary reference in
these words is to the wicked, yet the principle of them unquestionably holds
good in the case of the redeemed. In the keeping of Godís commandments
there is "great reward" (Ps. 19:11), in this life (1 Tim. 4;8) as
well as in that which is to come; but in the breaking of Godís
commandments bitter chastening is sure to follow. Wisdomís ways are ways
of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace (Prov. 3:17), but he who
departs from Wisdomís ways and follows a course of self-will, must expect
to smart for it. So it was now in the experience of David. It is true that
in case of marital infidelity the Mosaic law permitted the innocent one to
obtain a divorce and marry again; but it made no provision for a plurality
of wives, and that was what David was now guilty of; and for his sin
he was sorely chastised.

Ah, my reader, let this
truth sink deep into thine heart: God is exercising a moral government over
the believer as well as the unbeliever, and He will no more wink at the sins
of the one than He will of the other. David was saved by grace through faith
apart from any good works as tile meritorious cause, as truly as we are; but
he was also called to be holy in all manner of conversation or behavior, as
we are. Grace does not set aside the requirements of Divine holiness,
instead, it reigns "through righteousness" (Rom. 5:21). And when
one who has been saved by grace fails to deny "ungodliness and worldly
lusts" (Titus 2: 12), then the chastening rod of God falls upon him,
that he may be a "partaker of His holiness" (Heb. 12:10). And
this, be it noted, is not only a part of the Fatherís dealings with His children,
but it is also a part of his ways with His subjects as the Moral
Ruler of this world.

As we suggested in the
seventh chapter of this hook, it was Davidís being united in marriage to
the unbelieving Michal which accounts for the painful experiences he passed
through while a member of Saulís household. Trials do not come upon us
haphazardly; no, they come from the hand of God. Nor does He act
capriciously, but according to the righteous principles of His government.
In an earlier chapter we saw how that God graciously protected David when
the devil-driven king sought his life, and how that He moved him to return
home. Why, then, should His restraining hand be removed, and Saul allowed to
go forth again on a blood-thirsty mission? Why should the brief respite
David had enjoyed now be so rudely broken? The answer is that God was again
using his enemy to chasten David for his recent sin, that he might, by
painful experience, learn anew that the way of transgressors is hard.

"O that thou hadst
hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of the sea" (Isa. 48:18). What a difference
it makes whether the ways of a Christian please or displease the Ruler of
this world: it is the difference of having God for, or having Him against
usónot in the absolute sense, not in the eternal sense, but in His governmental
dealings with us. When the heart be right with God, then He shows
Himself strong on our behalf (2 Chron. 16:9). When our ways please Him, then
He makes even our enemies to be at peace with us (Prov. 16:7). Then how
diligently should we guard our hearts and ponder the path of our feet (Prov.
4:23, 26). Carelessness invites disaster; disobedience ensures chastening;
sinning will withhold good things from us (Jer. 5:25).

It is very important to
see that while the penal and eternal consequences of the Christianís sins
have been remitted by God, because atoned for by Christ, yet the
disciplinary and temporal effects thereof are not cancelledóotherwise the
saints would never be sick or die. It is not God in His absolute character,
acting according to His ineffably holy nature, but God in His official
character, acting according to the principles of His righteous government,
which deals with the present conduct of His people, rewarding them for their
obedience and chastening for disobedience. Hence, when God makes use of the
devil and his agents to scourge His people, it is not unto their ultimate
destruction, but unto their present plaguing and disciplining. And this is
exactly what we see in our present lesson: Saul was allowed to disturb Davidís
rest, but not to take his life. In like manner, the devil is often permitted
to whip us, but never to devour us.

"And the Ziphites
came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hills
of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?" (1 Sam. 26:1). The reader may
remember that the Ziphites had shown themselves unfriendly towards David on
a former occasion. Was it not then a hazardous thing for him to return unto
those parts! How are we to account for his acting so injudiciously, and thus
courting danger? Ah, let us recall what was pointed out under 21: 1 in
Chapter 8 of this book. When the soul is out of touch with God, when
fellowship with Him has been broken by giving way to the lusts of the flesh,
the judgment is dulled, and imprudent conduct is sure to be the effect. It
is not without reason that godliness is so often designated
"wisdom" (i.e. Ps. 90:12), and that a course of evil doing is
termed "folly."

David had acted
imprudently in marrying Abigail; he had committed a grave sin in taking unto
wife Ahinoam. We say he had acted "imprudently" in marrying
Abigail. The time was not propitious for that. He was then a homeless
wanderer, and in no condition to give unto a wife the care and devotion to
which she is entitled. Holy Scripture declares, "to everything there is
a season" (Eccl. 3:1). While on this point, let it be said that, in the
judgment of the writer, young men who are out of work and have no good
prospects of soon obtaining any, are acting imprudently, yea, rashly, in
getting married. Let them possess their souls in patience (Luke 21:19) and
wait a more favorable season, and not tempt God.

"And the Ziphites
came unto Saul of Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hills
of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?" If we venture upon the enemyís
territory we must expect to be harassed by him. It is probable these
Ziphites were fearful that should David succeed Saul on the throne, then he
would avenge himself upon them for their previous perfidy: if so, they were
now the more anxious that he should be captured and slain. Afraid to tackle
him themselves, they sent word to the king of Davidís present whereabouts.
Their message presented a temptation for Saul to return again unto that evil
course which he had abandoned, temporarily at least: thus does one evil-doer
encourage another in wickedness.

"Then Saul arose,
and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of
Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph" (v. 2). Poor
Saul, his goodness was as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it vanished
away. "How soon do unsanctified hearts lose the good impressions which
their convictions have made upon them, and return with the dog to their
vomit" (Matthew Henry). O what need has even the Christian to pray
earnestly unto God, that since he still has so much of the tinder of
corruption left within, the sparks of temptation may be kept far from him,
lest when they come together they are "set on fire of hell" (James
3:6). The providential restraint of God in causing Saul to leave off
pursuing David because the Philistines were invading his territory, had
wrought no change within him: his evil disposition towards Godís
anointed was the same as ever; and now that the favorable opportunity to
seize David presented itself, he gladly made the most of it.

The action of Saul here
provides a solemn illustration of a well known principle: if sin be not
dethroned and mortified, it will soon recover its strength, and when a
suitable temptation is presented, break out again with renewed force. How
often do the servants of God witness souls under deep conviction, followed
by a marked reformation, which leads them to believe that a genuine work of
grace has taken place within them; only to see them, a little later, return
to their sins and become worse than ever. So here: upon receiving word from
the Ziphites, Saulís enmity and malice revived, and, like Pharaoh of old,
he again hardened his heart, and determined to make another effort to remove
his rival. And thus it is with many a one who has been sobered and awed by
the Word: after a brief season, Satan and his agents suggest such thoughts
as tend to rekindle the smothered flame, and then the lusts of the flesh are
again allowed free play. O my reader, beg God to deepen your
convictions and write His law on your heart.

"And Saul pitched
in the hill Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode
in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very
deed" (vv. 3,4). "David neither fled, nor went out to meet Saul,
when he was fully certified that he was actually come forth to destroy him!
Had a much greater army of uncircumcised Philistines marched against him, he
would doubtless have forced them with his small company, and trusted in God
for the event; but he would not fight against the ĎLordís anointedí"
(Thomas Scott).

"David therefore
sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed." From
the previous verse it would seem David had perceived that some large force
was advancing into that part of the country where he and his men were now
quartered. Though not certain as to who was at the head of the approaching
army, he probably suspected that it was none other than Saul, and therefore
did he now send out spies to make sure. He would not fully believe that the
king had again dealt so basely with him, till he had the clearest proof of
it: thereby does he set us an example not to believe the worst of our
enemies till we are really forced to do so by incontestable evidence.

"And David arose,
and came to the place where Saul had pitched; and David beheld the place
where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Net, the captain of his hosts; and Saul
lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him" (v. 5). Most
likely it was in the dusk of the evening that David now went forward to
reconnoiter, surveying from close range the order of Saulís camp and the
strength of its entrenchments. Though he knew the Lord was his Protector,
yet he deemed it necessary to be upon his guard and make use of means for
his safety. Well for us when we act as wisely as serpents, but as harmless
as doves. It is to be noted that David did not entrust this critical task
unto any of his underlings, but performed it in person. The leader ought
always to take the lead in the most difficult and dangerous tasks.

"Then answered
David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah,
brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And
Abishai said, I will go down with thee" (v. 6). David now addressed
himself unto two of those who were, most likely, his closest attendants,
asking who was bold enough to volunteer in accompanying him on an
exceedingly dangerous enterpriseóthat of two men entering a camp of three
thousand soldiers. There is little room for doubt that David was prompted by
the Spirit to act thus, from whom he probably received assurance of divine
protection: thereby he would be afforded another opportunity of
demonstrating to Saul and Israel his innocency. Ahimelech was probably a
proselyted Hittite, and not having that faith in the God of Israel which
such a severe testing called for, held back, but Abishai, who was Davidís
own nephew (1 Chron. 2: 15, 16), readily agreed to accompany David.

"So David and
Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within
the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and
the people lay around about him" (v. 7). What an extraordinary
situation now presented itself before the eyes of David and his lone
companion? Where was the guard? Had the watchmen failed at their point of
duty? There was none to sound an alarm: the entire camp was wrapped in
slumber so profound that, though the two uninvited visitors walked and
talked in their midst, none was aroused. Ah, how easily can God render
impotent an entire host of enemies! All the forces of nature are under His
immediate control: He can awaken from the sleep of death, and He can put the
living into such a heavy sleep that none can awaken them. There was Saul and
all his forces as helpless as though they were in fetters of iron.

"Then said Abishai
to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now
therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at
once, and I will not smite him the second time" (v. 8). In view of what
had transpired in the cave (24:4-6), no doubt Abishai thought that though
David scrupled to kill Saul with his own hand, yet he would allow one of his
officers to slay him: thus would an end be put to the difficulties and
dangers unto himself and his adherents, by cutting off at one blow their
inveterate persecutor; the more so, since Providence had again placed Saul
in their power, apparently for this very purpose. This illustrates the fact
that often it requires as much godly resolution to restrain the excesses of
zealous but unspiritual friends, as it does to stand firm against the rage
of incensed enemies.

A powerful temptation
was here set before David. Had their positions been reversed, would Saul
hesitate to slay him? Why, then, should David allow sentiment to prevail?
Moreover, did it not look as though God had arranged things to this very
end? The previous opportunity was not nearly so strongly marked as this one:
Saul had, as it were, accidentally wandered into the cave, but here was
something extraordinaryóthe entire camp was wrapped in a supernatural
slumber. Furthermore, his attendant urges upon him that it was the
will of God to now take things into his own hand. But David was not to be
moved from his loyalty to the throne. First, he told Abishai that it would
be sinful to lay violent hands upon one whose person was sacred (v.
10), for Saul had been appointed by God and anointed for his office. Second,
he declared it was unnecessary: God would, sooner or later, cut him
off (vv. 10, 11). Remembering how the Lord had just before smitten Nabal, he
left it to Him to avenge his cause.

"So David took the
spear and the cruse of water from Saulís bolster; and they gat them away,
and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked; for they were all asleep;
because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them" (v. 12). Here
we see David as a type of Christ in His wonderful forbearance toward His
enemies, and in His faith in God: 1 Peter 2:23. Davidís procedure was an
effective method of convincing Saul that he could have slain him. And
what a proof to the king that the Lord had departed from him, and was
protecting David! "Thus do we lose our strength and comfort when we are
careless and secure, and off our watch" (Matthew Henry), gives the
practical lesson for us in Saulís losing his spear and cruse of water.